Culture Shock

All Men Are Mortal

Raise your hands if you’re tired of the Twilight fad. OK, those of you who didn’t put your hands up, you are dismissed. The rest of us can take a break from solemn teens and go back to the original high schoolers that want to live forever. The song is creeping in, isn’t it? Four little words, and the theme from Fame gets instantly lodged in the brain. The Albuquerque Little Theatre (224 San Pasquale SW) takes on all the singing and dancing and youthful drama of talented kids seeking prestige at a performing arts high school. Fame opens Friday, July 30, and runs through Sunday, Aug. 8. Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7:30 p.m., Sunday performances are at 2 p.m. Get tickets, which are $15, at albuquerquelittletheatre.org or by calling the box office at 242-4750.

New Summer Hideout

Hey, speaking of a bunch of talented people in one place, can I just say that the upcoming shows at the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts in Santa Fe (108 Cathedral Place) looks un-freaking-believable? Oh, just did. There are six concurrent exhibitions that open Monday, Aug. 2, and run through Jan. 2, 2011.

(The receptions for all six shows will take place Thursday, Aug. 19, from 5 to 7 p.m.) And thank goodness; it’s going take me all five months just to digest all this art. In the meantime, here’s the quick and dirty: These shows feature more artists than my lazy butt cares to count and work ranges from installation, video and something called “It Wasn’t the Dream of the Golden Cities,” that makes regular multimedia look flat. “Golden Cities,” by Postcommodity Collective, incorporates sound, video, performance, sculpture and whatever else they feel like throwing in there. It’s conceptual art, and the concept is gonna blow your mind. There’s lots more—I’m also pumped about the Apache Skateboards crew’s installation. Those guys and girls do a lot more than just stencil decks. Scope out iaia.edu/museum for more details.

I Don’t Wanna Grow Up

Man, being a kid was great. Falling down only hurt when the adults noticed you’d done so, you got to take lots of naps and, maybe the best part, people read to you all the time. Once you learned how to read, things were all downhill. But fear not! The librarians and staff at the San Pedro Library branch (5600 Trumbull SE, 256-2067) get it and offer “Storytime for Grownups.” From 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. on Saturday, July 31, you’ll hear short stories chosen by people who hang out with books all day.